By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD – After more than a year of hearings, the Zoning Board of Appeals voted last night to deny two separate 40B projects proposed on Nahant Street. Both votes were unanimous.
One developer was seeking a Comprehensive Permit to build a five-story, 100-unit residential building at 119 Nahant St., which included the former site of Precision Honing.
The other project was proposed by developer Scott Green, who sought approval of a Comprehensive Permit to build a three-story, 22-unit affordable housing project at 32-36 Nahant St.
The board cited many of the same issues and concerns as reasons for both denials. ZBA members felt that both projects were too large and too dense for the neighborhood and presented safety concerns, which were detailed by the Traffic Advisory Committee in its reports after TAC reviewed each project.
The board took up the 119 Nahant St. application first. Chairman Tom Lucey noted that, while the applicant had at the eleventh hour offered to reduce the number of units from 100 to 80, it was “too little, too late.” He added that the applicant never followed through with completed plans for the reduced size and never got the revised plan reviewed by the TAC or other town officials. So, the board based its decision on the original, 100-unit proposal.
ZBA member Chip Tarbell said that the town’s position was clear from the beginning that the project was too dense, too big and did not fit in the neighborhood.
He noted that the applicant’s attorney, Jason Panos, refused to discuss size or density until after the TAC completed its review, which took several months. He added that a subcommittee created by the ZBA to try to expedite matters was not successful.
“This application was flawed from the beginning because size was never discussed until it was too late,” Tarbell said. In the meantime, neighbors spoke against the project at every hearing.
When the ZBA finally got the TAC’s report, Tarbell noted, it was one of the least favorable reports the board had ever seen, citing a litany of safety issues, from driveway sightlines to emergency vehicle access to the site. The only way to address these issues was to reduce the size and lower the density of the project, Tarbell said.
ZBA member David Hatfield said that he agreed with most of Tarbell’s comments. He added that size and safety were the big issues and the applicant had failed to show that the need for housing outweighed all the local concerns cited by the board and neighbors.
Board member Mickey Feeley echoed many of the previous comments, adding that not one neighbor had spoken in favor of the project.
Board member Joe Pride observed that the site “has huge potential,” but the applicant paid no heed to the concerns of the community and kept giving the board the runaround. He said that something could have been done on the site if the applicant had been willing to work with the board.
Board members Kristin Brown and Kasumi Humphreys also cited size, safety and the applicant’s unwillingness to work cooperatively with the board.
Before taking a vote on the overall project, the board took roll-call votes on about 30 separate requests to waive various provisions of the local Zoning Bylaw. All the waiver requests were denied.
Tarbell made the motion to deny the project, with Pride seconding the motion before the board voted 5-0 to deny.
Moving to the 32-36 Nahant St. project, Tarbell noted that while that development team had been willing to work with the board, many of the same concerns remained related to size, density and safety.
He pointed out that the TAC report had cited “serious concerns” related to safety based on the potential added traffic congestion on the narrow, winding street, as well as other issues.
Lucey said that he could not support a project that the town’s public safety experts had deemed unsafe.
As with the previous project, the board first considered a list of requested waivers from various provisions of the Zoning Bylaw. Each waiver request was denied by a unanimous vote.
Hatfield made a motion to deny the project, citing matters of local concern including health and safety.
Pride said that he was conflicted as to how to vote on this project. He said that he feared that the state might overturn the ZBA’s denial on appeal and allow an even bigger project.
Lucey noted that the board had listened to all the neighbors and the safety experts. He quoted from the TAC’s report which stated that, if built, the project “will cumulatively result in a reduction in safety.”
The board voted 5-0 to deny the project.
